The Mature Thing
by deathrosekitty
Summary: He held me up while I tried to stand on my own. He was supposed to be heartless and cruel, yet here he was, letting his polar opposite lean against him like we were friends… or lovers. It was an act that left me breathless and confused. BubblesButch
1. Careless

**I do not own Powerpuff Girls, but I do have a growing guilty pleasure for BubblesXButch. Oh no!**

**Inspired by **_Not Him_ **by **_**simi838. As soon as I read chapter two this idea popped into my head and I couldn't help but write it out!**_

_He held me up while I tried to stand on my own. He was supposed to be heartless and cruel, yet here he was, letting his polar opposite lean against him like we were friends… or lovers. It was an act that left me breathless and confused. BubblesButch_

**The Mature Thing**

Chapter 1: Careless

I closed my eyes against the pricks. Already, I was ready to bawl like a baby. I was a baby. I'm sixteen and still something like being beaten by the bad guys makes me cry.

My body trembled. My sisters, Buttercup and Blossom had already fallen. I didn't know if they were sleeping or… or… I didn't want to bring myself to think of the other options. My legs gave out and I started to fall.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around me, preventing my face from hitting the pavement. I opened my cerulean eyes and all I saw was green. It reminded me of Buttercup, until I noticed the spiky hair.

"Butch." I sobbed.

I buried my face into his shirt. Kindness from the Rowdyruff boys was one thing. Boomer and Brick had a softer side here and there, but Butch? Butch was nothing but heartless and cruel. Time hadn't changed that. This is why I didn't want to see his face as I bawled my eyes out.

"Hey, man! The girls are worse for wear. We better get them back to the Professor."

"Isn't that the guy who made them?"

"Duh, Boomer."

I stifled a small giggle. Their banter was just like me and my sisters. I hope beyond hope they're alright.

I felt the strong arms of Butch shift until he held me like a princess with my legs over one of his arms and my back supported by the other. I clung to his neck, still refusing to face anyone. I sensed him slowly lift off the ground in flight and soon we were on our way home.

How could I explain this to the Professor?

"Are Blossom and Buttercup…?"

"They're breathing." Butch answered my half-asked question. "That's about it."

My heart squeezed at the knowledge that my sisters were in pain. Normally, I'd be angry Butch was so gruff about the way he said it, but I couldn't bring myself to be anything but sad.

It's my fault after all. If I hadn't wanted to play tough like Buttercup or to try to call the shots like Blossom they wouldn't be hurt right now. They had teased me all day about being the 'baby' and not cut out for their tougher roles as heroes and I tried to use the enemy as a way to prove them wrong.

I was the one who was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

"It's… It's my fault!" I stuttered through my sobs. I tasted the tears leaking down my cheeks from my eyes.

"Don't be a baby." Butch scolded. "Whining isn't going to help anyone."

I pushed him away. I remembered now why I hated him so much, there was no sense of kindness within any inch of him. "You don't understand at all, you heartless jerk!" I screamed loudly and blasted away from his knowing eyes and the other boys' shocked faces.

I guess the Professor would have to wait for my explanation. And my sisters would have to wait for my apology.

I lost myself with the wind and the beautiful landscapes that crossed my path. I had no clue where I was going, but wherever that was I'd be alone and I'd be able to mourn my bad decisions without anyone yelling at me for having a conscience.

I wonder what Buttercup ever saw in Butch. We were kids when we had crushes on the boys and hers was the strongest. She followed him everywhere, beat him up constantly, and took it the hardest when he so easily always chose to be a bad guy. As we aged our crushes had faded, but still somewhere deep inside my heart I always expected for Buttercup and Butch to live happily ever after in a unicorn shaped house.

I love unicorns.

I giggled as I imagined the soft mane and long rainbow colored horn. My body breezed by the world as I stared up at the clouds with a goofy smile on my face.

"So this is how you deal with your sisters being injured?" Suddenly all I saw was green again. His arms were crossed over the shirt that matched his emerald eyes and his black pants waved easily as we flew. Butch's eyes were judgmental and cold.

"I wasn't thinking about that! I was thinking about living in a house shaped like unicorns!" I defended myself.

"And here I thought you were the over-sensitive caring one that I didn't _understand_."

His sarcastic tone brought tears to my eyes again. "I was trying to get my mind off of it…"

"You should be there for your sisters instead of being so selfish."

I stared down his glare. In normal situations I would be too scared to stand up to a bully like him, but I had already bolted once and now I was too busy yelling at him for being such a… A jerk!

"I am not selfish!" I screeched. He winced at my high pitched voice and I took strength in that. "And like you're one to judge with how you like to blow things up and play mean pranks and make girl's cry and you NEVER care what other people think, you only want to cause more damage and pain because it's FUN to you!"

Butch seemed to think my words over, but that didn't stop his cold reply, "You sound like a toddler."

"YOU'RE A TODDLER!"

Darn it Bubbles! I scolded myself even though I could never bring myself to use really bad language (like Buttercup) as I turned to glare down at the peaks of mountains we were heading over. I started to bolt again, the reality becoming too much to me and his unsympathetic tone just encouraged me to seek somewhere else where I could calm myself.

He grabbed my arm. I stumbled in the air before the force of the sudden stop brought me chest to chest with Butch. He glared down at me as I squeaked. I was stupid, so stupid to yell at him! He was going to hurt me now!

"We're not little kids anymore."

Butch let me go. I watched in shock as he slowly backed away before turning to head back to Townsville. After a moment I began to follow his green glow, though I kept a far pace. I wasn't ready for anymore cruel words, though I did want to see my sisters.

I just hope they wanted to see me too.

XXX

I watched as Brick and Boomer shot off from my house. Butch turned effortlessly and joined them to go off and do whatever boys do. I landed on the porch and turned the doorknob like it was going to explode.

I tiptoed through the house until I found the Professor and my sisters upstairs in our bedroom.

"Bubbles!"

He ran up and hugged me and I gladly clutched onto him back. "I'm so sorry Professor, it's all my fault!"

"Hush, hush now Bubbles. It's no one's fault and Blossom and Buttercup will be better after they rest for a bit."

I wiped my puffy eyes. "I think I should go to bed too."

"Okay," The Professor let me go after he patted my head. "Sleep tight; don't let the bed bugs bite."

I smiled at the nightly routine, "Can you leave the nightlight on so I can see?" It was childish, but I couldn't help but think that it could scare away all of the monsters like it had when I was five.

I snuggled into my blue bed in the middle of one of the sides of the room. Blossom had one corner and Buttercup had the other one. I was left in the middle, but it felt so lonely. I wished I could sleep with my sisters like we did when we were younger, so I slipped from my bed and pushed theirs towards mine.

I jumped into bed again, happier now that when I turned my head both of my sisters were within grabbing distance of me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to them before closing my eyes and trying to sleep.

Before I lost consciousness completely, Butch's green eyes came to my mind and his words _"We're not little kids anymore."_ echoed through me.

I wonder what exactly he meant by that.

**Review Please! I hope I got Bubbles voice right… They're sixteen so naturally there will be some changes in character, but I don't want to push things too far out of character.**


	2. Sleeping Beauties

**Thank you for your reviews. I have a lot of upcoming BubblesButch fics for those of you who love this couple. And one oneshot that is already up, which is called Blue-Green. If you ask super nice I might post one of the other fics I have in the works with this couple. ;) Keep the reviews coming and I'll keep going with the stories.**

**Mucho loves to you all.**

Chapter 2: Sleeping Beauties

I awoke the next morning and my sisters were still sleeping. They were in a comatose state that the Professor seemed puzzled by.

"There's no logical reason…"

I sighed as he mumbled to himself and shuffled out of the room. _It's is my fault. It is. It is._

Blossom's hand was clammy as I clutched it in mine. She had bruises ranging in all sorts of colors, from the lightest green to the darkest purple. Her beautiful face was a mess. Her arms, legs, torso… the marks reached everywhere.

There was dried blood on both of them. I set to work cleaning off Blossom, then Buttercup. Buttercup looked about the same except one side of her face was completely swollen.

There were deep gashes all over them from the monster we had fought. They weren't healing like we normally did. At all. I wondered if I should tell the Professor…

Nah, he probably already noticed.

As for me, I had a bruise or two, but no other injuries. I had spent most of the time flying around trying to show off.

The guilt clawed at me. _I_ was supposed to be the one injured, not able to wake up. Not my two beautiful and talented sisters. How was I going to handle saving the town alone?

I froze. I was going to have to save Townsville all on my own until Blossom and Buttercup got better. There was no one else who could do it. Maybe I could ask… No. The Rowdyruff Boys had already helped me out once. It was a rare show of kindness I appreciated and wouldn't mind seeing again, but they were no better than my sisters when it came to tearing down my confidence. They probably didn't think I could handle being on my own either.

Looking at my helpless sisters I realized I still had something to prove. To myself and to everyone else. This time I wouldn't screw up.

I couldn't possibly let myself do that twice.

I grabbed a pair of Buttercup's pants and one of Blossom's shirts. If I wanted to be taken seriously I had to look the part. Black workout pants and a light pink t-shirt. It was form fitting for hand to hand combat and it made me look like I was in my twenties. It was anything but cute and I scrunched my nose up because I _liked_ being cute. A messy ponytail and sneakers completed the look.

I guess later I'd have to work on my fashion sense as a solo superhero.

I was out the window in seconds. The Professor would probably freak once he noticed I was long gone, but the less he knew the better.

It was time to protect him from the big, bad world for a change.

XXX

I seem to be one step behind him. I had let the monster wander away yesterday and the boys didn't go after him, so today everywhere I flew there was wreckage and injured people. The ambulances were working on overdrive. The hospitals were probably a mess.

I tried to shake off my guilt; I knew it wouldn't get me anywhere. My thoughts felt muddled as I tried to figure out what to do next.

_What would Blossom do?_

Tactical, what would be tactical about chasing down a monster that was as big as a building that had ruined half of Townsville? Maybe following the trail of rubble? Making a commotion to lead him to me? Should I help the citizens and ignore the monster? What would be the best choice? What would be her choice?

I mindlessly followed the broken buildings and unending stream of injured and sad people. I am the one who did this to them. And I _will_ fix it.

I finally reached the end of Townsville. The damage continued on, but it seemed like the threat that had been here yesterday moved on. I briefly eyed the trail before turning back.

Everyone was safe for now. It was my job to make sure they would get the medical help they needed as well as help however I could with reconstruction. Those were two things I was the best at. Everyone always called for me whenever they needed help to make a new building or get them the proper help. I was fast and I was strong and I was really good at putting things together.

What I really needed to be good at was kicking bad guys' butts.

XXX

Hours later I flew tiredly into our bedroom. The girls were still asleep. There had been no change. The Professor hadn't seemed to notice my departure. The phone started to ring. It startled me to see the red light whirl around the room.

"Hello?"

"GIRLS!" The mayor shouted. "We need you!"

With a shaky hand I hung up the phone. Something had already happened again? I had just been in the city! I sniffled as I ran to the window and soared into the sky once more.

I hoped this was something I could handle alone.

I heard their laughter before I saw them. The Gangreen Gang. Ugh! Didn't they ever grow up? They were in their thirties now and still as juvenile as ever.

"Hey, you guys! Knock it off!" I shouted towards them. They froze from stealing before they started to laugh again. This time at me.

"Hey it's the blue priss! What's going on little blond? Think you can take us all on by yourself?"

Anger coiled within my stomach. "You know it!"

I slammed into Big Billy first. I flopped off of his belly and onto the cement as they laughed harder. I growled before going after Grubber. One hit and he was down. Lil' Arturo was next. He was just as easy. I squared off with Snake and Ace. I tried to grab Snake, but he kept slipping away from me.

Ace was even harder. Every time I went for one of them he was stepping into the attacks, getting in my way and messing up my hits. They managed to land their own hits on me. One hit nearly broke my nose and the other gave me a nasty black eye. My other wounds had healed hours ago and it annoyed me to have more sprout up from these guys.

Big Billy came at me from behind and I didn't see it coming. He landed on my small body and I couldn't help but expel all of my air. I tried to breathe in, but couldn't. I could feel the scrape of my ribs as they bent. Soon they would crack.

Panic hit me. I was going to lose and they would run off with the snacks they had grabbed. Townsville was going to be a mess because I couldn't hold it together.

I couldn't save the day on my own.

Something slammed into Big Billy and sent him rolling off me. I gasped in air. I saw the green blur hunt down Ace and Snake next. A big smile broke out on my face. Buttercup!

"What do you think you're doing? Wasn't one reckless day enough for you?" I cowered under the dark eyes as Butch's arm muscles flexed briefly before he crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not a hero, okay? Why am I cleaning up after you two days in a row?"

I squirmed as he ranted. I had never heard him speak this much. I liked the timbre of his voice. The way it deepened when he emphasized words rather than heightened like mine tended to do.

"Blossom and Buttercup aren't waking up. I'm the only one who can." I admitted. He had been nice to me before, though it had been briefly. Would he be there for me again?

I started to cry before I could tell myself to stop. There was so much going through his eyes, but I couldn't name one thing he was thinking about.

"Butch."

He sighed before pulling me towards him. "I don't like hugging."

"Then why are you holding me?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Because I know it's something you would like. You've always been…a girl like that."

"Thanks."

"I'm not a hero. I'm not going to rescue Townsville just because your sisters are out for the count."

"Why can't you? You helped me before."

"Don't confuse one moment of kindness for a complete change of character. I _like _being the bad guy. I like fighting and going to jail only to break out not even a day later."

"No." I stated. I shook my head at him. "No, you don't."

"Don't try to tell me how I feel, Bubbles." I shivered when he said my name and he pulled away from me quickly. "Don't get any ideas."

"Help me protect the city." I said, even though that's precisely what he was telling me not to do. It had to be what he had been telling me not to say.

"No." He stated as he floated upwards.

"Just until my sisters get well!"

"Don't you know what no means? My brothers are going to take down this town." Butch replied as he shot out of where we were at full speed.

I watched after him. I know it was stupid to expect him to say yes, but I did. So I continued to watch, even after his dark green trail faded away.

For some reason I just couldn't bring myself to think he really meant it when he said _no_.


	3. The Rowdyruff Boys

Chapter 3: The Rowdyruff Boys

It's kind of cliché now that I think about three little girls who saved the world while three little boys attempted to destroy it. I wouldn't be thinking this normally, but after the last couple of days I had it came to me suddenly that fighting each other made no sense.

I wish I had figured that out long ago.

"What's going on Bubble-brain? Where are your sisters?" Brick teased as he crossed his arms confidently. He was so much like Blossom… so strong and independent…

"They're in a coma." I answered. I tried to get my lip not to quiver, but I couldn't help my automatic reactions to things that made me sad. "They haven't woken up from the monster attack."

Boomer tilted his head, but otherwise didn't say anything. Butch wouldn't even look at me. Brick laughed.

"Ha! Bringing down Townsville is going to be like taking candy from a baby. Especially a baby as whiny as you."

I bit my lip. "Do you really have to destroy Townsville?" They looked at me like I was dumb, but I continued on. "What about the other day…?"

"What about it?" Brick demanded.

"Well you helped-"

He scoffed at me. "Please. Like I actually care if the Powerpuff girls are safe. Come on boys! Let's get this over with and start _enjoying_ our new city."

Boomer eager slammed into my side. I grunted as I hit the pavement hard enough for it to crack. I looked towards Butch. He was twitching, and I could tell he wanted to get into the fight, but he was holding himself back. It confused me.

I wanted to know why Butch is so different from his brothers. What had happened to him to have him change from the cruelest, most bloodthirsty of our enemies to one of the nicest?

I screamed when Brick's laser eye beams hit my back. Anger boiled in my belly. I was _sick_ of being everyone's punching bag.

"Listen to me!" I shouted. "We're not all that different and I know that since you helped me and my sisters out when we got attacked you guys aren't all that bad. Why can't you help me? Why do we have to fight?"

"You obviously don't understand the nature of how we were made." Brick informed.

"What? You were made from snails, armpit hair, and puppy dog tails. What's that got to do with it?"

"It means that unlike you, Sugar, our nature is to _destroy_. It's fun and why the hell should we fight nature if it's fun?"

I felt sad for them. They didn't seem to understand all of the little things that were nice about life. The things that melted even the hardest of hearts.

"You fought your nature once when you saved us. Why can't you fight it again; at least until the Powerpuff Girls can give you a run for your money when it comes to fighting over Townsville?"

Boomer laughed hysterically like I told the best joke in the world. Butch had gone still. And Brick smirked down at me like I was someone to take pity on.

"Bubbles Bubbles Bubbles. Don't you think there are more gullible villains than us out there? I mean you don't really expect us to fall for that, do you?"

I stared up at him floating in the air. Suddenly I knew how to get them to agree. "What kind of villains are so pathetic they can't wait until they have a proper challenge to destroy the city that kicked them out?"

I was so proud of myself I could have patted myself on the back, but that was quickly squashed.

"You know… we could." Brick contemplated. "And it is nice to have a challenge for once; however, what's most likely going to end up happening is our sorry butts will be kicked back out of Townsville and we don't really want that." He smirked. "No deal."

_Wait… Did Brick of all people admit he was weaker than the Powerpuff Girls?_ I thought briefly before fear hit me. _All three of them really have changed. He wouldn't have been this quick to be honest, more likely he'd lord it over me how great he was and how… well not we are… I am._

"You've all changed so much." I murmured. Brick and Boomer looked shocked, but Butch finally met my eyes.

"You haven't."

A look passed through two of the brothers before settling on Butch. It was like he didn't see or feel them, like he was blocked from their silent communication. He trained his emerald eyes far off in the distance and I wondered what he saw.

I was going to find out why they had changed so much. And I was going to _make_ them help me protect this city. I knew I couldn't do it on my own, even though I wanted to and to have a chance to keep Townsville together with my worst enemies…

Well it was kind of like a dream come true. I am an optimist after all. I love the thought of setting aside differences and working together.

"Ugh." Brick scoffed. "This is starting to feel like the Brady Bunch. Let's get outta here!"

Butch smirked at me before flying off. Boomer still looked surprised. I gaped at the boys even after they were long gone. _Did Brick just give me a break for today? _

I smiled. Tonight after my patrols I would talk with the Professor about Blossom's and Buttercup's condition because what fun would it be too kick the Rowdyruff Boy's butts without a little help from my sisters?

For the first time since my epic mess up I've finally felt like things are looking up.

XXX

"The results are inconclusive." The Professor muttered as he paced back and forth between one set of chemicals and another.

"What do you mean they're inconclusive?" I asked. He began to try explaining to me the results of his tests on Blossom and Buttercup, but I didn't understand a word of it. There were too many big words and my head started to ache from trying to keep up.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bubbles." The Professor gave me a weak smile. "What I meant to say was that maybe the monster's DNA affected the Chemical X in Blossom and Buttercup's system. I'm doing what I can to find some way to stabilize my results, but unless I get a sample of it's DNA there's no telling how long it will take for the girls to wake up."

I frowned at the floor.

"Now that doesn't mean you need to go hunt down that dangerous monster. I'll do what I can to fix this. Until then you hang in there. And remember to come straight home if you get in over your head. There's no reason for something to happen to you too."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He didn't know I'd been doing patrols, even though I've failed at fighting any of the villains my sisters and I would regularly defeat. Or that I tried to get the Rowdyruff Boys to help me out…

Yeah, he definitely didn't need to know that part.

My mind whirled from one thought to another. "Professor?"

"Yes, honey?"

"What kind of stuff do you have to collect for a DNA sample?"

He gave me a stern look, which I repaid with one of complete innocence. "Well… a little hair or bodily fluids is an example of a DNA sample."

"Really?" I asked. "Cool!"

He smiled and prattled on while I snuck out of his lab. He didn't need to know what I was going to do. And it shouldn't be too hard either. Snatch some hair and run like hell, then be the hero!

I bit my lip as I landed in a more discreet location outside of Townsville. It was time to practice fighting moves all by myself.

Surprising myself, I felt more comfortable being alone rather than have Buttercup rag on me or Blossom lecture me on how to fight better. It gave me more confidence to try different things.

Nothing could possibly go wrong that hasn't already, right? I mean… I was already the cause of a coma, and have been beaten to a pulp by more than one bad guy, then rescued by another bad guy… No. There was no way anything could go wrong by tracking down the monster that defeated us and getting a DNA sample.

Fly in, then out. That was my plan.

**NOTES:  
Not my favorite chapter, but I hope all of you enjoyed it. Thank you for all of your reviews.**


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